Making The Invisibles Visible is a 21-day campaign initiated by Save the Children and NDTV to bring focus to the lives of children living in street situations. As India fights the Novel Coronavirus, we must not forget one of the most marginalised and excluded groups whose lives have been long ignored – street-connected children.
Nearly 20 lakh children live on the streets of India, without an identity, a name to call their own, a place to call home, sleeping on empty stomachs for days and nights. These twenty lakh are children, who have dreams, who have rights, who are our tomorrow. They are living in the shadows today.
The 21-day campaign will generate public interest and raise funds to ensure these over 20 lakh children who live, earn, sleep and eat on our streets are cared for and protected. Amidst the crisis the world is facing, they are most vulnerable, exposed to infection and disease.
World
67,69,38,430Cases
62,55,71,965Active
4,44,81,893Recovered
68,84,572Deaths
Coronavirus has spread to 200 countries. The total confirmed cases worldwide are 67,69,38,430 and 68,84,572 have died; 62,55,71,965 are active cases and 4,44,81,893 have recovered as on January 9, 2024 at 10:54 am.
India
4,50,19,214 475Cases
3,919 -83Active
4,44,81,893 552Recovered
5,33,402 6Deaths
In India, there are 4,50,19,214 confirmed cases including 5,33,402 deaths. The number of active cases is 3,919 and 4,44,81,893 have recovered as on January 9, 2024 at 8:00 am.
State & District Details
'Nokia is using its products to connect people during the Coronavirus lockdown,' says, Sanjay Malik
Zarin Gupta, Chairperson, Salaam Baalak Trust on issues facing the children on the street:
Having the children in the shelters is absolutely the need of the hour. To get the street children who roam around and keep them in a shelter is tough so we have a very good team, thanks to whom we are able to achieve this. Our volunteers include teachers, doctors, who are staying with us for 7-8 days and helping our children. Education is very important for these children to help their mental health as well.
Singer, Prateek Kuhad on #TheInvisibles telethon:
Ambrish Bakaya of Hewlett Packard Enterprise:
We believe that these are trying times for families,communities as well as businesses. We need to contribute as a technological company by offering network, and technology, whether for policy makers, scientists, medical professional or doctors.
Swaroop Rawal, Actor turned Educator:
We need to take care of the psycho-social health of the children, its extremely important. We need to act now, we cannot wait for COVID or lockdown to get over to act. After COVID is over, we need to continue doing it. Mental health is one issue that I'm most concerned about.
Actor, Mandana Karimi on #TheInvisibles telethon:
Vasvi Bharat Ram, Joint Vice Chairperson of The Shri Ram Schools in Delhi NCR:
- It is a very important issue. Lives of children are at a standpoint due to the pandemic. Even the children at home, their lives are disrupted, so the children on streets are most affected. Education has come to an absolute halt. We need to figure out how we can help these children.
- Post lockdown, its going to be a huge challenge for the government to take life back to normal especially, in education sector. India is known to be a survivor. Right now, nobody knows what's going to happen, so we need to wait and watch. We can just hope that we overcome this crisis. We all need to help and do our bit in whatever way we can.
Bidisha Pillai of Save the Children on the challenges that lie ahead post the lockdown
Telgu actor Lakshmi talks about her own initiative to help children in her state of Telangana
Shireen Vakil, Head of Policy and Advocacy unit of Tata Trusts on the telethon:
- I think children our vulnerable across the nation. one of the issues is that they are last in line for the help they need. They are not able to communicate their need for help and anxiety being faced by them.
- Education is the biggest issue for these children. We are sitting in the national capital, where at least one lakh children are on the street. We need the government to formulate policy for these children. many of them do not have any identity and NGOs like save the children are playing an important role in helping these children.
Actor Huma Qureshi on the challenges facing children and why we need to do all we can for them:
Please keep the donations coming to make a difference
Boxer, Vijendra Singh on #TheInvisibles telethon:
Economist, Shiv Kumar on the NDTV - Save the Children #TheInvisibles Telethon:
A dimension that has gotten sidelined in providing food, shelter and money, is the mental well-being for the children. Forced lockdown may lead to a mental imbalance for children and have impact on child's well-being and growth. looking at mental wellbeing along with physical wellbeing is crucial right now.
Manish Pasi, MD, MINI KLUB on the NDTV - Save the Children telethon:
Rahul Ram from Indian Ocean on #TheInvisibles telethon:
Actor - Director, Konkona Sen Sharma on the telethon:
- In every community and industry, there are enough people who need our help. This is important right now, because everyone can speak about the vulnerable class of our fraternity, industry and community but who's going to speak about these children? We have to realise that they must be facing a trauma right now and we need to talk about them and help them.
- The problem is not visible to us right now. we are sitting at home and not going on the streets so we don't see these children. We are consumed with our own problems right now and don't realise that these children are the future citizens of our country and are very vulnerable. If we're sitting at home watching TV in an AC room and have food in the fridge, we are extremely privileged.
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Writer and Theatre Director, Tahira Kashyap on #TheInvisibles Telethon:
"I will match whatever money is raised tonight as my contribution," says Malini Saba, Businesswoman and philanthropist
Children are the last to be heard, and we need to come together and help the kids who are at home as well as who are not at home. Having lived around the world and worked with a lot of children, I think there's a fire in the belly of the Indian children and a desire for knowledge. we need to keep that fire burning because we have an enormous talent pool for us.
After over one hour the NDTV - Save the Children #TheInvisibles Telethon raises over Rs 1 croreJoin the campaign and make a difference:
Donate Now
Lusi, a child champion and cricket player on #TheInvisibles telethon:
Mitali Raj, Captain, Women's Cricket Team on Telethon:
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Jeet Jayenga India sings Vishal Mishra
I think everyone right now wants to something for their country, regardless of their caste, religion, creed. With this thought, I came across like minded people and we penned down a song. I feel full of gratitude to be able to spread positivity with the help of my talent.
Diego Graffi, CEO and MD Piaggio Vehicles Private Limited on the telethon:
Life of millions of people will be affected because of this crisis, especially the underprivileged. Children will be affected the most and we need to help them now. We are supplying PPE kits, sanitisers, to the children in Pune. We can take inspiration from Save the Children and do our bit to help our children.
Actor, Neha Dhupia urges people to donate for the cause:
Amod Kanth of Prayas on the crisis facing the children during the Coronavirus outbreak
Coming up on #TheInvisibles telethon:
Anindit Roy Chowdhury, Director, Programmes & Policy, Save the Children:
Even to move with food items and hygiene kits in the lockdown is difficult but we have received tremendous support form 10 state governments. Child champions and advocates have done a great job in facilitating help and have been our ground leaders. We are so happy that children have helped us help them.
Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer of Serum Institute of India donates Rs 50 lakhs on the Telethon:
Actor and Director Aparna Sen on the telethon:
There needs to be shelter homes for the children with running water and toilets so that they have basic hygiene facilities.
Dia Mirza joins the #TheInvisibles telethon
Sanjoy Roy, Founder Trustee, Salaam Baalak Trust on #TheInvisibles Telethon:
Vicky Roy who was supported by Salaam Baalak Trust as a child and is now photographer of repute on the telethon:
Child Champion, Nisha on #TheInvisibles Telethon:
- I feel happy in helping everyone. We know the crisis being faced by the country amid the coronavirus outbreak. When PM Modi imposed lockdown, families around me were panicking for rations, people around me are mostly daily wage workers. so I wanted to help. I called up Save the Children to find out if they can help. Now around 10-12 families around me got ration from Save the children.
- I am associated with the NGO and I am educated so I knew how to seek help. I want the children living on the streets to be aware how to seek help like I did.
Priyank Kanoongo, Chairperson, NCPCR on #TheInvisibles telethon:
When it come to the children living on the streets, we need to understand that the issue is a social issue as much as it is a legal issue. Ministry of Home affairs has said it is important to provide shelter to these people wherever they are. They have also said we need places that are declared safe to keep these kids, like hostels and schools. We have requested to all the state governments to follow these advices.
Bidisha Roy on the crisis facing children during the Coronavirus lockdown
- We are facing the greatest challenge of our lifetime, and in this situation as well, children have different consequences. They don't know the crisis and what to do, so we need to communicate that to the community, the impact on health and especially hunger, where children of migrant workers are hungry. And also impact on education, where they can't go to schools where they were also fed mid day meals - possibly the most important nutrition meals in their day, is unavailable to them.
- This point of time, our response needs to be tailor made to the kind of crisis being faced by the children. Children need to understand what the pandemic is, what needs to be done to overcome. They needed masks, sanitisers, sanitary pads, kits for pregnant mothers. Amid the crisis, we are providing these. We are also providing dry ration and vegetables for these families, that will help them sustain.
Donate Now: Bidisha Roy explains how the money raised will be used
The money raised through the telethon will be used for:
Hygiene kit for high-risk population containing essentials to keep children and their family safe from COVID-19 (Masks, sanitizers, soaps, sanitary towels etc.)
Food basket (Rice, dals, spices, potato, onion etc.)
Clothes for lactating mothers, sanitary pads, cotton rolls and undergarments
Health support for children and families in need
Bidisha Pillai, CEO of Save the Children joins the telethon
#TheInvisible Telethon sets the agendaJust because thankfully children are not among those get infected with the Coronavirus, their crisis is not getting highlighted like those of the migrant workers, says Prannoy Roy at the start of the telethon.
Coming up on #TheInvisible Telethon: Neha Dhupia
#TheInvisibles Telethon gets underway
Prannoy Roy ready to start the 2-hour special telethon.
Minutes to go for #TheInvisibles Telethon, we are set!
2-hours to go for #TheInvisibles Telethon: An appeal from Dia Mirza, Goodwill Ambassador UN Environment and UN Secretary General's Advocate for SDGs
Writer-Director Tahira Kashyap Khurrana will join #TheInvisibles telethon starting at 7pm
3-hours to go: Don't miss actor Huma Qureshi on #TheInvisibles Telethon
Join us for a 2-hour special telethon in support of the most vulnerable section of the society, our children. During this Coronavirus outbreak crisis there is an urgent need to protect our children.
Your contribution can provide:
- Hygiene kit for high-risk population containing essentials to keep children and their family safe from COVID-19 (Masks, sanitizers, soaps, sanitary towels etc.)
- Food basket (Rice, dals, spices, potato, onion etc.)
- Clothes for lactating mothers, sanitary pads, cotton rolls and undergarments
- Health support for children and families in need
New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) and Save the Children, a non-profit organisation, are joining hands to focus on the lives of children living in street situations. As India fights the Coronavirus, we must not forget one of the most marginalised and excluded groups whose lives have been long ignored. Join the campaign and help us reach out to the poor and vulnerable who need the urgent support.
During these unprecedented times, not everyone can afford the privilege of social distancing. And not everybody can stay home during the lockdown, simply because they don't have a home. Those living in poverty are extremely vulnerable, struck with a sudden lack of funds, food, mobility and a struggle for survival. And, as with all humanitarian crises, it is the children who have been affected the most.
Nearly 20 lakh children live on the streets of India, without an identity, a name to call their own, a place to call home, sleeping on empty stomachs for days and nights. These 20 lakh are children, who have dreams, who have rights, who are our tomorrow. They are living in the shadows today.